1950's/1960's Archive Part 41:RAF etc

What a great thread

Thanks for all of the photos – and so many co-incidences here.
My father was a Sgt Navigator flying Brigands wit 84 Squadron in Malaya – he clocked up over 950 hours in them! See www.brigandboys.org.uk for full details.
He also flew lots of other stuff on this thread – Ansons (in fact he ended his RAF career looking after HalfPenny Green near wolverhapmpton where he was the air traffic controller (the man in the caravan with a flash light!!!) for the Anson flight training – and he had to lock the gates up at night before going home.
I believe he also flew in the Camberas, had contact with Lincolns etc. etc.
And just to add to all the co-incidences on this thread … when i was younger i lived in Norfolk and used to watch the Lightenings, Vulcans and Vistors fly around … then joined 231 Squadrion ATC in Norwich and did air experience in Chipmunks at Cambridge.
Just the Venture T Mk2’s at Swanton Morley missing for a full set!!! (Where is my ATC log book?? Never did get it off them when i left – has all of my Duke of Edinburgh awards in it too)
Thanks again, Mark Stringer

Thanks for sharing those with us David,
Jim

WG774 is the BAC221 (Ex Fairey Delta) now preserved at Yeovilton. Taken at Farnborough, probably 1966 (?):

Lovely photo of an absolutely awesome aeroplane.

.

This will be the final selection of British military photos from the archive. Thanks again for the extra information received on previous posts.

VW209, not a Dragonfly but a Sikorsky S-51 imported by Westlands in 1947 for military trials at RAE and A&AEE. Photo taken at Hatfield 14-6-53. Wfu by 1954, it became a Naval maintenance airframe at Manadon and was scrapped by 1963:

WG774 is the BAC221 (Ex Fairey Delta) now preserved at Yeovilton. Taken at Farnborough, probably 1966 (?):

XJ915/B, Sycamore HR.14 of CFS. W/O 17-2-66:

XL112 Whirlwind HAR.4 of 228 Sq (Coastal Command titles) W/O 20-11-70 after conversion to HAR.10:

XS111 Gnat T.1 of the Red Arrows. W/0 8-7-76:

All photos via Tony Clarke with thanks.

These Chipmunk photos have been difficult to pin down, dates and locations are unknown except where stated:

WB578/15 of 22 RFS, an early shot at Cambridge. It became VH-RFW in 1956 and was W/O 19-9-59:

WB580/17 of 22 RFS at Cambridge, Wfu 1957 for spares:

WB585/RCU-X at Cambridge, with Cambridge UAS. Became G-AOSY in 1956, still active at Audley End:

WB587/K at Cambridge. Became VH-UEK in 1956 and W/O 28-1-63:

WD345 at Coltishall 18-9-65. To N31103:

WD370/A survives as a cockpit with the ATC in Brighton:

WG304/E landing at Cambridge. To N48098, later VH-NMX and now ZK-CPY:

WG363 became G-BDIM in 1975 and was destroyed at Duxford 14-7-96 in the tragic P-38 accident:

WK574 of Cambridge UAS at Coltishall 18-9-65. To G-BVPC and VH-DHU:

WK609 at Coltishall 18-9-65 became G-BXDN in 1997:

WK635 became N546PU, then G-HFRH in 2010:

WK642/L of Cambridge UAS at Coltishall 19-9-64 (To G-BXDP in 1997):

Same aircraft at Coltishall 18-9-65:

WP833 of Cambridge UAS at Coltishall 19-9-64 became G-BZDU and then N918HF:

WP896/5 became G-BWVY in 1996:

WZ868 became G-BCIW and W/O 26-11-91:

WZ872 became G-BZGB in 2000:

All photos as usual by the late Gerald Lawrance via Tony Clarke.

A group of RAF transport aircraft, starting with Comet C.2 XK670 at the Heathrow Battle Of Britain display 21-9-58:

Avro York C.1 MW112 is believed at Hatfield 14-6-53:

This shiny Devon C.2 VP968 is at Coltishall 16-9-61:

Devon C.2 VP956 (note the dash). May be Coltishall 19-9-64:

Pembroke C.1 WV704, May be Coltishall 16-9-61:

All photos as usual by the late Gerald Lawrance via Tony Clarke. Any updates always welcome.

A few locations identified:

WJ640 Waterbeach 17.9.60
WK144 Waterbeach 15.9.56 and came from 527 Squadron
WP219 Waterbeach 20.9.58
WZ402 Waterbeach 15.9.56 and came from Wittering
XD871 Bentwaters 14.5.60
XD873 Wethersfield 28.5.60

Three Beverley photos today:

XB288 as U of 47 Sq, date and location unknown:

XH116 as Y of 47 Sq, may be Wethersfield 28-5-60:

XL151/L in the Heathrow Battle Of Britain static 21-9-58:

Credit for photos as always to the late Gerald Lawrance via Tony Clarke.

Thanks to abadonna and JJ for Canberra info.

Back in Part 2 of this series, I posted a set of Valiant photos all taken at Cambridge. Here are some different shots, with very little background data.
First, some more from Cambridge:

XD??? (Those were the days):

Was going to post that i wasn’t totally convinced that thats landing at Cambridge (Marshalls). But on second thoughts, it is of course before the Teversham Rd was slightly re-routed further east to allow lengthening of the runway. Great photo!

To complete the V-Bomber trio, here are the best Victor and Vulcan scans.
As usual, photos by the late Gerald Lawrance via Tony Clarke:

Vulcan B.2 XH555:

Victor B.1 XA933 of 232 OCU at Coltishall 16-9-61:

Victor B.1 XA937:

Great Valiant photographs and I’ll flag them up to the ex-Valiant people who’ll be attending this event at the end of this month!

I logged Valiant XD859 at Cambridge in November 1958. It may help date the others.

WZ381 with 207 Sq marks:

7 Squadron, Ursa Major symbol on tail.;)

I just love that first Valiant shot, oh to have been a school boy spotter waiting in the gateway for that sight!

Thanks to abadonna and JJ for Canberra info.

Back in Part 2 of this series, I posted a set of Valiant photos all taken at Cambridge. Here are some different shots, with very little background data.
First, some more from Cambridge:

XD??? (Those were the days):

WZ381 with (Edit) 7 Sq marks:

WZ404:

XD820:

XD859:

The rest are from various airshows, exact dates and locations unknown.

WP219 with 207 Sq marks:

WZ402:

XD863 with 90 Sq marks:

XD871 also 90 Sq:

XD873 of 207 Sq:

XD874:

WD980 was at Coningsby with BCHU in that c/s when I was there at ATC Summer Camp in July 1958. I also noted “still in 57 Sqn markings” but I can’t see them on the photo.
Jim

Some interesting Canberra pics. A few notes:

WD980 is on charge to the Bomber Command Holding Unit
WH877 is 231 OCU
WJ728 is 231 OCU
WJ992 is RRE
WK144 is most likely 245 Sqn or 98 Sqn
WT322 was used extensively by Marshalls for B(I)6 systems development and could be any date between 1958 and mid-1963
XM271 would be sometime Apr-Sep 1965 (TI for PTR 175 UHF fit)

Featuring the Canberra today, a good selection of variants and units. More information always welcome.

WD980 Canberra B.2, no marks, at Waterbeach 20-9-58 (Wfu 1969 and expired at Catterick):

WE195 Canberra T.4, 231 OCU at Mildenhall May 1966 (Exported to India as Q1792 in 1975):

WH667 Canberra B.2 of 45 Sq at Cambridge, date unknown (W/O 7-11-80):

WH877 Canberra B.2, no marks, at Waterbeach 15-9-56 (To Venezuela 1965 as 0129):

WH920 Canberra B.2 of 35 Sq, at Coltishall 17-9-60 (Wfu 1972 at St Athan):

WJ640 Canberra B.2 of 51 Sq, date/location unknown (Wfu 1981 and scrapped Cosford):

WJ681 Canberra B.2 of 98 Sq at Coltishall 19-9-64 (Wfu 1982 Brawdy):

WJ728 Canberra B.2, no marks at Coltishall 16-9-61 (Wfu 1976 Farnborough):

WJ825 Canberra PR.7 of 58 Sq at Coltishall 17-9-66 (To 8697M for BDR at Abingdon, later Catterick):

WJ992 Canberra T.4, no marks (possibly RRE) at Coltishall 17-9-66 (expired Bournemouth fire dump):

WK144, no mars. Date / Location unknown (To 8689M St Athan and scrapped):

WT322 Canberra B(I)6 at Cambridge date unknown (W/O 23-2-67):

WT509 Canberra PR.7 of 80 Sq at Coltishall 18-9-65 (Wfu Marham and scrapped 2004):

WT524 Canberra PR.7 of 80 Sq at Coltishall 16-9-61 (To 8136M Bruggen and scrapped):

XH164 Canberra PR.9 of 58 Sq at Coltishall 17-9-60 (W/O Luqa 7-1-69):

XM262 Canberra B(I)8 of 16 Sq, date / location unknown (Wfu 1973 Catterick):

XM271 Canberra B(I)8 at Cambridge circa 1965 (Wfu 1972 as 8204M Foulness):

Thanks for the Anson pics. I started and finished my flying in them, first at Hullavington where they vainly tried to turn me into a navigator and finishing at Hullavington, some 7 years later, swanning around trying not to lose u/t AEOs.

Many thanks again for updates. Just one correction, the nose of Anson VP519/G-AVVR survives with the Boulton Paul Aircraft Heritage Project near Wolverhampton, not Aeroventure at Doncaster.

Your correction is an incorrection.

David, the Dakota was indeed at Wisley, on 15 September 1957, and it belonged to RAE Farnborough at the time.